Constitution

1: Name The name of the body is ‘The Society for Musicology in Ireland/Aontas Ceoleolaíochta na hÉireann’

2: Main ObjectThe main object for which the body is established is the advancement of education, specifically in the field of musicology, and to promote and foster musical scholarship in all its forms throughout Ireland, north and south by organizing annual conferences, generating publications, and maintaining a website which contains relevant expert resources which are freely and publicly available.

3: PowersTo the extent that the same are essential or ancillary to the promotion of the main object of the body as heretofore set out the body may exercise the following powers: The council of the SMI has the power to levy a membership fee. The council of the SMI has the power to award grants to individual members in support of musicological research to assist postgraduate research students, non-affiliated scholars, or academics without recourse to institutional funds. Financial assistance for presentations at conferences outside Ireland may also be considered. To qualify for consideration applicants must be in good standing with the Society and have been a member for a minimum of six months at the point of application. The payment of any grant or assistance will be dependent on the presentation of receipts. The Council has the power to regulate and award the Harrison medal of the Society

4: Rules

Membership Membership of the society is open to anyone (in Ireland or abroad) with an interest in musicology, whether professional or otherwise. This constitution recognizes the SMI as an independent organization, notwithstanding formal or informal affiliations which the society may pursue in the interests of musicology in Ireland. In particular, the constitution of the society recognizes the Royal Musical Association in terms of affiliation and shared interests. The SMI reserves the right to pursue other affiliations from time to time as determined by the council in consultation with the membership of the society.

Council and Elections The affairs of the society shall be determined by a council comprising a president, a secretary, a treasurer, a membership secretary and eight other members (to include an elected student representative), with power to co-opt four further members. The council shall be elected every three years prior to a general meeting of the society to be held in conjunction with its annual conference. The period of office for the council shall be three years. Elections for a president will take place prior to the council's final year of office. The president-elect shall be directly elected by a ballot of the members of the society, subject to candidates having been proposed and seconded by members of good standing in the society. The president-elect will attend meetings for one year before (s)he takes up office. Council shall nominate and elect the other officers of the society. The president of the society may not hold office for more than two consecutive terms. Council shall be elected by ballot of the members, unless the number of nominations does not exceed places on council available. All members of the society at the time of an election are eligible to present themselves for election. Prospective members of the council must be nominated by current members of the society. The position of student representative on the council shall be held by a registered research student of musicology who is a member of the society and who shall be elected by the student membership of the society. The student representative shall be elected for the duration of the current council unless he/she completes his/her postgraduate studies or otherwise ceases to be a registered research student, in which case a successor shall be elected at the earliest appropriate opportunity.

Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held during the Society’s annual conference or on such other occasion as determined by the Council, members of the Society to be given at least three weeks’ prior notice of the date and time of the meeting and provided with an opportunity to submit items for the agenda. The constitution of the society may only be changed at an annual general meeting of the society and subject to approval by a two-thirds majority of members present.

5: Income and PropertyThe income and property of the body, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its main object as set forth in this Constitution. No portion of the body’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the members of the body. No Officer shall be appointed to any office of the body paid by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the body. However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the body of: reasonable and proper remuneration to any member of the body (not being an Officer) for any services rendered to the body; interest at a rate not exceeding 5% per annum on money lent by Officers or other members of the body to the body; reasonable and proper rent for premises demised and let by any member of the body (including any Officer) to the body; reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Officer in connection with their attendance to any matter affecting the body; fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any Company of which an Officer may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the issued capital of such Company.

6: Winding-up If upon the winding up or dissolution of the body there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the body. Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having main objects similar to the main objects of the body. The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the body under or by virtue of Clause 5 hereof. Members of the body shall select the relevant institution or institutions at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provisions, then the property shall be given or transferred to some charitable object.

7: Additions, alterations or amendments No addition, alteration or amendment shall be made to or in the provisions of this Constitution for the time being in force unless the same shall have been previously approved in writing by the Revenue Commissioners.

8: Keeping of Accounts Annual audited accounts shall be kept and made available to the Revenue Commissioners on request.

30 January 2015

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Note: In May 2011 the SMI was granted ‘charitable tax exemption’ by the Revenue Commissioners under the heading ‘Advancement of Education’, and it was assigned the following ‘charity reference number’: CHY 19361. At the 2011 AGM, the membership of the SMI ratified the above constitution, the wording of which is in accordance with the Revenue’s rules.